Rafael Navarro scored his fourth goal of the season, Djordje Mihailovic scored from the penalty spot for his third and the Colorado Rapids defeated San Diego FC 3-2 on Saturday night in Commerce City, Colo.
Darren Yapi also scored and earned a penalty for the Rapids (4-2-2, 14 points), who turned a 1-1 score in the 50th minute into a two-goal lead by the 60th in what tied their highest-scoring performance of the season.
Zack Steffen made two stops for Colorado, including an important denial of Anders Dreyer in the 57th minute when the Rapids’ lead was 2-1.
Luca de la Torre scored his second goal for expansion San Diego (4-2-2, 14 points), which saw its two-match winning streak snapped and lost its second straight on the road.
Tomas Angel added a late consolation goal for the visitors who were soundly outplayed, arguably for the first time this season.
After de la Torre leveled the match at 1-all in the 50th minute, Yapi put Colorado back in front in the 53rd from a corner kick.
Andreas Maxso won the first header and sent it toward the left post, where Chidozie Awaziem leaped to try to win the second header.
Awaziem couldn’t send the ball goalward, but it fell well for Yapi to poke home from relatively close range.
The Rapids padded their lead seven minutes later through Navarro, who played a suave give-and-go with Cole Bassett through the right side of the penalty area. He nearly lost his balance before he could finish the play off, but as he fell, he sent a right-footed finish off the inside of the right post.
That proved crucial when Angel pulled a late goal back for San Diego in the 89th minute on a shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Mihailovic gave Colorado its first lead in the 37th minute on his second converted penalty of the season. Yapi earned the opportunity when he reached a loose ball before San Diego goalkeeper C.J. dos Santos (five saves), who caught the attacker in the aftermath of his challenge.
–Field Level Media
